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Bright Spots: June 20, 2013

Here's the latest installment of a weekly web feature that highlights positive developments in the Northeast Ohio business community.

Republic Services said its Lorain County Resource Recovery Facility in Oberlin has been retrofitted, enabling it to process up to 150,000 tons of recyclables per year, nearly triple the previous capacity.
All technology in the facility has been updated in the $15 million investment, Republic says. Custom engineered, manufactured and installed conveyors, separation screens, magnets, optical sorters and balers “have been designed to convey, separate and recover the residential material picked up in the surrounding counties,” according to the company.
Republic also says it has added 12,000 square feet of warehouse space.
The facility, which opened in 1992, now accepts more types of recyclables, most notably all plastics marked with numbers 1-7, Republic says. Paper products, cardboard, glass, aluminum and steel also are accepted. The company says the new system “produces less than 10% residual waste, keeping more waste out of the landfill.”

Marketing and communications firm Hitchcock Fleming & Associates of Akron said it has been named agency of record for LP Building Products-Canada, a manufacturer of engineered wood building materials.
Billings were not disclosed.
LP Building Products primarily manufactures and distributes CanExel in the eastern provinces of Canada and Pre-Finished LP SmartSide Trim and Siding in the country's western provinces.
In a news release, Hitchcock Fleming said it was selected because of its expertise within the building products industry, its knowledge within the siding category, experience with other LP Building Products brands and experience working with other clients in the Canadian market.
Hitchcock Fleming is the agency of record for the LP SmartSide Trim and Siding brand in North America and has worked with the brand for more than 10 years.

Two privately held real estate transaction services companies based in Cleveland said they have formed a strategic partnership.
Accurate Group Holdings Inc. said in a news release that it has made “an undisclosed investment to solidify its partnership” with national title and settlement company Optima Lender Services LLC. The investment and partnership “signifies the interest of these privately held companies to work together more closely to help grow each business,” according to the news release.
"We're excited to be associated with an industry leader experiencing explosive growth nationally," said Monique Winston, CEO of Optima, a certified Minority Business Enterprise launched in 2011. "Although Accurate is larger than we are and has been around longer, they share our high standards of excellence and an interest in utilizing cutting-edge, customer-friendly technology solutions."
In the news release, Optima said it is “on pace to double its revenue in 2013 and expects to expand its market share by leveraging its newest partner's cost-effective valuation appraisal capabilities.” It did not disclose revenues.
Accurate Group said in the release that it “continues to experience rapid growth in 2013 and is actively adding capabilities and investing in new opportunities to execute on its aggressive growth plans.”

Susan Bichsel, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Jewish Family Service Association (JFSA) in Cleveland, received the Distinguished Service Award at the national conference of the Association of Jewish Family and Children Agencies (AJFCA), the organization representing 125 agencies in the United States and Canada.
JFSA Cleveland is the sixth-largest member agency in the AJFCA, according to a news release announcing Dr. Bichsel's award.
Dr. Bichsel joined the staff of JFSA in 1991 as a social worker. She was promoted to director of psychiatric and support services in 1994. In 2002, she was appointed to serve as executive director of the Ascentia program, which provides comprehensive integrated services for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and serious mental illness.
Dr. Bichsel directed the resources of the $12 million division until she was appointed to the top jobs at JFSA Cleveland in January 2008.
The organization said in the news release that under Dr. Bichsel's leadership, JFSA Cleveland has grown to become a $25 million agency by acquiring the Hebrew Shelter Home, a safe haven for families affected by domestic abuse and homelessness, and Plan of Northeast Ohio, a local community mental health organization serving adults with mental illness.
Send information for Bright Spots to managing editor Scott Suttell at [email protected].